Army of the Damned

VOLUME 14 Chapter 1

The ornate heavy doors of the Castle swing, like a treasure chest being opened and the gold inside blinding those who were looking in. The interior was far grander than anything on the outside, the manicured garden setting the air just from the detailing given to its hedges, and now, the inside of the Castle has opened, and the Nobles bask in the light of the grandeur of mankind's plight to create perfection.

The Mages, in their best robes, wearing necklaces of sapphire and jade inside the main hallway steps aside to let the people of high birth in. Alongside it, the opening of the military band playing the Hymn of the Knights marches to form a line with the Mages of Gareth in their green and blue robes that hide their faces. The Nobles then started to go inside, with the highest ranking ones being first in line as the rest cascaded to the main hallway. It then divides them, parting couples away as they're made to enter separating doors where their hands would join together on the grand stairs leading down to the main ballroom.

Porcelain, polished brass, and marble tiles were everywhere as the huge concrete pillars adorned with the Griffins and King Gareth slaying a Dragon blocked the excess light coming from the outside. The ceiling, full of expensive glistening chandeliers as paintings of an olden King in an expensive blue robe not even fit for war, led an army out of a mansion, the depiction of it, spanning in all corners of the available space. Surrounded by forests and sprawling hills.

And on the opposite side, were the Elves. Wearing their segmented chestplate, the ones on the front having the wings of a Roc on the sides of their shiny helmet, organized, tactical, and in comfort. They showed resilience, a fierce army of a nation far ahead that of Mankind yet the King, in his mer blue robe led his army of Knights and Grunts against them. With the Nobility, being in the front as cavalry.

Written stylishly over the painting of a battleground in the middle section of the room was a single sentence, unknown to him, he just gazed upon its glory as the art shows both splendor and glory, even in the midst of battle. As the second line of Knights Calvary of Gareth charged forward from the beaten peasant grunts and squires under them, dead from the magic and ranged weapons of the Elven Kingdom. Bringing upon the might of their lances and polearms, as wounded warriors looked on with tears in their eyes of their Nobles, taking their divine duty, and protecting their land and the people.

"Chosen By The Gods."

"Hm? Is that what it means, Alana?"

"Yes, M'Lord. The original King of Gareth was a servant of the Elven Empire. It was when the Human God alongside the God of Triumph and Faith was he blessed with great powers, alongside a woman named Avaria. They both stood up against the Curate Empire and brought down a utopia that didn't see them as anything more than useful tools at that time."

"Wow... and in some of these art, they fought in the middle of a forest too. I can only hope it wasn't that hard without modern technology... or that it was quick painless deaths from magic."

"M'Lord, the Kingdom of Rose actually supplied the concrete used in that palace. Getting it there was even a challenge for us." She then lifts her silk gloved finger to point at the Royal Palace of the King. The sprawling white building looked bigger than an Airport terminal and the massive shaved and clean garden around it not having a single space spared to show Humanity's ability to create, imagine and make art. "Why? It looks like it's part of a small valley full of hills."

As more guests arrived, the two were busy looking up to the ceiling, admiring the painting of the palace of Gareth's King. The Nobles just walked around them, smiling as they noticed the two thoughtfully conversing about the painting and the small details only those with a fine artistic eye could spot.

"What they don't show on that painting is the swamp a few hundred meters away from its front gate. The King of Gareth wanted to transform what was originally a hunting lodge, once owned by an Elven Aristocrat as his Stemmed Elk hunting ground, he wanted to erase it all and show the Elves that the Humans could be just as elegant and powerful as them."